Reading 5: The World of White Fang (themes)

• Is White Fang for kids? Why or why not?

• What are some of the difficult changes that White Fang must make in his new life?

• Why do you think the family allows White Fang to live with them?

• What messages does London convey with the episode concerning Jim Hall?

• How are the stories of Beauty Smith, Jim Hall, and White Fang similar?

• Do you think White Fang is happy in his new life? Would he be happier in the wild?

• What do you think will happen to White Fang after the end of the novel?

Key element: themes

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

Group presentations on theme:

1. List all of the themes conveyed in White Fang.

2. Choose one theme and explain how it is developed. (It does not need to be the main theme.) Include three pieces of textual evidence in your analysis.

3. Present your findings.

Lesson closing:

After hearing the group presentations, which theme is the most important to London? How do you know?